Historic Duffield Street Houses to Anchor New Downtown Brooklyn Tower

• The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission has approved revised plans for a 420-foot mixed-use tower at 188 Duffield Street in Downtown Brooklyn.
• The project will preserve and incorporate the landmarked Duffield Street Houses into the base of the new development.
• Updated plans reduce the tower's height by 30 feet and include design changes intended to better complement the historic structures.

What the Approved Development Includes

The Landmarks Preservation Commission has approved revised plans for a new mixed-use tower at 188 Duffield Street in Downtown Brooklyn. The project, filed by 188 Duffield LLC and designed by Hill West Architects and Acheson Doyle Partners Architects, will rise 420 feet and preserve the historic Duffield Street Houses as part of the development. Located between Myrtle Avenue and Willoughby Street, the site includes the landmarked properties at 182-188 Duffield Street. Rather than demolishing the historic structures, the proposal incorporates them into the tower's podium while allowing for significant new development above. The project is planned with a 10 FAR density and represents one of the latest high-rise additions to the rapidly evolving Downtown Brooklyn skyline.

What the New Design Looks Like

Renderings show a contemporary tower with a monolithic form clad in beige brick. The façade features a grid of punched windows organized in two- and three-story groupings, while the structure is topped by a mechanical crown that defines its upper profile. One side of the tower will feature a largely blank lot-line wall, punctuated by narrow vertical windows along the edges. The overall design aims to create a modern presence while maintaining a visual relationship with the preserved historic buildings at street level. Updated renderings also highlight a redesigned courtyard space intended to provide improved usability and stronger connections between the landmarked houses and the new tower. 

What Changes Were Made After Landmark Review

According to project presentations submitted to the commission, the revised proposal responds directly to feedback received during previous LPC reviews. The development team reduced the building's height by approximately 30 feet, refined the massing strategy, and adjusted the relationship between the tower and the historic structures. Additional modifications include improvements to the shared courtyard and architectural transitions between the old and new components of the project. These changes helped secure approval while preserving the historic character of the Duffield Street Houses.

What Happens to the Historic Duffield Street Houses

The Duffield Street Houses date back to the 1830s and 1840s and showcase a mix of Federal, Greek Revival, Queen Anne, and Second Empire architectural styles. Under the approved plan, 182, 184, and 186 Duffield Street will be converted into townhouses. Meanwhile, 188 Duffield Street will serve as the entrance to the new tower and will contain retail space at the ground floor. The preservation of these structures allows the development to retain an important piece of Brooklyn's architectural history while introducing substantial new density to the site.

What Earlier Plans Proposed

Initial permits filed in 2024 called for a significantly smaller project. Those plans envisioned a 30-story tower standing 323 feet tall with 115 residential units. The newly approved proposal increases the overall height to 420 feet, though the latest plans do not disclose an updated residential unit count. Additional project details may emerge as the development moves through future permitting and construction phases.

What the Location Offers Future Residents

The project sits within one of Brooklyn's most transit-rich neighborhoods. Residents will have easy access to the Jay Street–MetroTech station, which serves the A, C, F, N, R, and W subway lines, as well as the nearby Hoyt Street station serving the 2 and 3 trains. Downtown Brooklyn continues to attract large-scale residential and mixed-use developments due to its strong transportation infrastructure, growing office market, and proximity to Manhattan.